1. Overview

Mathematics can save lives and can make the world a safer place for everyone.

The town council has allocated £100,000 to spend on reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries due to road accidents. Pupils will work in small teams to plan the most effective way to allocate the money, using the software supplied to analyse data on recent road accidents and build a convincing case.

2. Mathematical content

• Process skills: - Pupils are expected to represent a situation from the real world, analyse it using mathematical procedures, interpret and evaluate the evidence and communicate and reflect on their results
• Number and Algebra - Using rules of arithmetic applied to calculations and manipulations with rational numbers; Applying ratio and proportion
• Shape and Space - Using points, lines and shapes in 2D coordinate systems
• Statistics - Using the handling data cycle; presenting and analysing grouped and ungrouped data

3. Organisation and pedagogy

This case study supports 5-6 one-hour lessons of classroom activity, interspersed with modest amounts of homework, organised into 4 stages. A mixture of class, group and individual work is involved.

It is suitable for all pupils in Years 7, 8 or 9 - younger pupils or lower attainers may need more time.

4. Resources

• Teacher's guide (PDF): Read this first for a more complete overview and detailed lesson plans
• Using the software (PDF): Guide to operating the software
• Student handouts (PDF): Copy masters for all handouts and worksheets
• Road Accidents Database Software: Updated 2019 for modern browsers & mobile. Needed for stages 2 and 3 - it can be run directly from this page.
  Please double-check that the software works on pupils' machines in good time for the lesson
• More software options: Install locally and/or access the original version for Internet Explorer and other old browsers.
• Data files in XLS format and CSV format: Provided for advanced users who want to use the data set with other spreadsheet, graphing or statistics software

The Teacher's Guide and Using The Software documents look best when printed double-sided, in colour, and bound into a booklet or ringbinder - but this is not compulsory. Some of the Handouts are best copied onto stiff paper and cut up into cards.